Child Protection Guidance 2021

Part 4: Specific support needs and concerns 147 National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2021 Version 1.0 September 2021 4.99 Emotional and psychological harm. Children are harmed by experiencing behaviour that is, intimidating and degrading, threatening, exposing of intimate information, or accusing and blaming. Coercive and controlling behaviour is also harmful. Examples of coercive and controlling behaviour include when the child and non-abusive parent are isolated from friends and family, or when abusers cut off the non-abusive parent’s access to a phone or a bank account. Chronic trauma can disrupt attachment, achievement, concentration and wider relationships. The traumatic impact of domestic abuse is often masked, and emerges indirectly in anxious or troubled behaviours in teenage years. As highlighted throughout this Guidance, a trauma-informed approach is required by all involved practitioners (NES 2019). 4.100 Abuse between young people. Young people may experience abuse and coercive control in their own relationships outside of the family home. As within adult domestic abuse, this can include physical, sexual and emotional abuse. This is often unrecognised, and victims may choose not to disclose it. Social media and digital technology may be used to perpetrate the abuse. 4.101 Response. Members of the public or non-statutory services concerned for the safety of a child or parent should contact Police Scotland or social work. As far as possible, taking into account the urgency of the situation, this should be in collaboration with the non- abusing parent/carer. On all occasions when children are present during an incident that requires the police to attend, officers in attendance will consider all information, including previous incidents, to assess whether there is a child wellbeing or protection concern. Information about the incident will be considered for sharing by Divisional Concern Hubs with appropriate statutory and non-statutory agencies who have support, wellbeing or health responsibilities, or who provide domestic abuse advocacy services (COPFS 2019). 4.102 The Domestic Abuse (Protection) (Scotland) Act 2021 once implemented is intended to provide powers for the short-term, for immediate protection of a person experiencing domestic abuse. This includes by means of domestic abuse protection notices and orders. 4.103 The child protection response by statutory agencies will depend on professional judgement about the risk of harm and the urgency of the circumstances. Domestic abuse is always a wellbeing concern. It may be a child protection concern if there is evidence that significant harm has occurred or may occur. Professional judgement involves consideration of key factors such as the child’s experience, needs and voice (and those of other children affected); the non-abusing parent’s views, choices, strengths and abilities to use available supports; the presence of other complicating factors such as parental alcohol and drug use; and the abuser’s pattern of coercive control. 4.104 Only where professional judgement indicates the likelihood of risk of significant harm will an IRD be triggered as outlined in Part 3 of this Guidance. 4.105 In some cases the risk from the perpetrator is very high. Multi-agency planning and partnership with the non-abusive parent must protect the child. It can be difficult to achieve safe collaboration with a non-abusing parent/carer if they deny, or do not recognise, the risk posed by the perpetrator towards the child. 4.106 GP and hospital services must be alert to the needs of victims of abuse, and especially those who are pregnant and have mental health, drug and alcohol difficulties. Domestic abuse may begin during pregnancy.